"This
will be the third time organising the Kiwi Brevet for me...and probably
the last time on this great course. Significant changes for 2014 are
likely to be swapping the Molesworth for the Rainbow valley; swapping
Wairoa Gorge for some of the Great Taste Trail; and including a scenic
detour option through the new trails between Craigieburn and Castle
Hill. I hope to be riding again in 2014 (at a more cruisy pace, taking
lots of photos, maybe from the back of a tandem)."

The event will start at noon on Saturday the 1st of February (and run until Sunday the 8th Feb). Waitangi Day will be a public holiday during that week, so this epic tour need only use up 4 days of precious annual leave.

My brother Jonathan is keen to organise a 3000 km, length-of-New Zealand brevet - that would most likely be in summer 2016. If you're curious about the route, check out page 267 of Classic NZ Cycle Trails and you'll get the general idea. By 2015 there'll be a few more cycle trails completed and a new map will be produced. Something to dream about!

The route

An 1100 and 600 km bicycle brevet around the top of the South Island - with as much off road riding as possible.

Event creator Simon Kennett rode the 4000 km Great Divide in 2008 and decided to replicate the experience in New Zealand. This is the original kiwi brevet that spawned several other brevet throughout the country.